PATRICIA'S POV
Eddie's hands lock tightly with mine as we dance endlessly into the night. Couples have already begun to exit the gymnasium while we continue to dance. My head rests on his shoulders as he slowly leads our footsteps.
"I can't believe this is all over," he whispers to me, and only me. No one else around may hear our talk. Our love is the one thing I don't have to share with anyone else.
Eddie ceases dancing and looks into my eyes. His expression is full of joviality and euphoria. His light eyes sparkle with assuagement.
While gazing at me delicately, he whispers, "I love you, Yacker."
With a full heart and tears of rejoice flooding in my eyes, I whisper back, "I love you, Weasel."
I tilt my head backwards in admiration of this precious moment when I notice a peculiar commodity resting above my head, dangling whimsically from the low ceiling.
"Mistletoe," I whisper gently. Eddie meets my gaze and leans forward, pulling me closer to him than I have ever felt before. He kiss me in a way I've never experienced. My heart skips a beat as the electricity of the kiss radiates throughout my spine, sending a jolt through my entire body.
"Oh, hey," Eddie says, interrupting my perfect moment. "I meant to give you this earlier. Think of it as a little Christmas present from your Weasel."
He hands me a small box wrapped in velvet ribbon to resemble a bow. I unwrap the velvet and slowly creak the box open.
"Oh, Eddie, it's beautiful."
Inside the box is a dainty, petite silver ring. A diamond rests atop it, shimmering brightly in the dimly lit room.
"I was thinking," he says.
"There's a shock!" I tease.
"Anyway," he says in annoyance, though content and laughter line his expression. "I thought, 'There's no way Yacker and I will ever break up, not after all we have been through together.' We're seniors, so it's ok to say that, I believe. We're about to begin our lives, and I refuse to do that without you by my side. I don't work without you."
"Oh, Eddie…"
He takes the ring out of my hands and kneels down on one knee.
"One day, when we're out of college and ready to begin our lives, what do you say we get married? Start a family? Spend the rest of our lives together?"
"Eddie, oh my God, are you really doing this?"
He smiles up at me and nods his head.
"Get up here so I can kiss you."
Eddie rises off the ground, planting his lips firmly on mine and cupping my face with his hands.
"One day," I say.
Eddie gazes at me lovingly. "One day."